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Spent Gladiator 2
Spent Gladiator 2 is the 11th song on the album Transcendental Youth. Lyrics Like a spent gladiator Crawling in the Colosseum dust Who can count on his remaining limbs All the people he can trust Like the one who stands behind him Cheering him on Ecstatic when he stands defiant Wild with abandon when he's gone Just stay alive Keep your eyes on the pay line Like a village on the steppe About to get collectivized When the men emerge with rifles from the haystack Everybody looks surprised Like the mice in the forgotten grain Way up on the top shelf Like someone who's found a small town to escape to Keeps one eye on his abandoned former self Stay in the game Just try to play through the pain Like a fighter who's been told it's finally time for him to quit Show up in shining colors And then stand there and get hit Like the clock that ticks in Dresden When the whole town's been destroyed Like the nagging flash of insight You're always desperate to avoid Like the bloody-knuckled gunman Still stationed at the breach Like that board game with the sliders And the children on the beach Stay alive Maybe spit some blood at the camera Just stay alive Stay forever alive Comments by John Darnielle About this Song *"...A song about the last tooth in your mouth." - 2012-12-17 - The Showbox - Seattle, WA *"At the front of this record is the last song I just played, which is about persevering in a really positive and triumphal way. There's the other side of that, where you say, well, I will dig my nails into the side of the cave wall this morning so that tomorrow when I wake up in the same cave, I'll at least see that my fingernails had enough strength left to leave an impression." -- 2015-06-01 - The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA *"I sing this song for my idol, Liza Minnelli, and I'm not ashamed to say so. I have a dream of her singing it one day, but it will probably remain a dream." -- 2018-04-14 - Phoenix Concert Theatre - Toronto, Ontario Things Referenced in this Song *The line "Like that board game with the sliders/And the children on the beach" refers to Stay Alive, a children's board game by Milton Bradley. John confirmed this on his Tumblr account. Live Shows this Song Was Played at *2012-03-24 - Merkin Concert Hall - New York, NY *2012-04-02 - The Barbican - London, England *2012-09-01 - Front Porch Music Festival - Livermore, CA *2012-09-11 - WFUV Session - New York, NY *2012-10-09 - The National - Richmond, VA *2012-10-11 - Theater of Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA *2012-10-13 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY *2012-10-14 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY *2012-10-16 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY *2012-10-18 - House of Blues - Boston, MA *2012-10-19 - The Haunt - Ithaca, NY *2012-10-20 - Phoenix Concert Theatre - Toronto, Ontario *2012-10-22 - Fine Arts Center - Calvin College - Grand Rapids, MI *2012-10-23 - Pabst Theatre - Milwaukee, WI *2012-10-24 - The Varsity Theater - Minneapolis, MN *2012-10-26 - Blue Moose Tap House - Iowa City, IA *2012-10-27 - The Vic Theatre - Chicago, IL *2012-11-29 - Terminal West - Atlanta, GA *2012-11-30 - The Grey Eagle - Asheville, NC *2012-12-01 - Mercy Lounge - Nashville, TN *2012-12-03 - Cain's Ballroom - Tulsa, OK *2012-12-04 - Granada Theater - Dallas, TX *2012-12-05 - Emo's East - Austin, TX *2012-12-08 - Crescent Ballroom - Phoenix, AZ *2012-12-09 - Club Congress - Tucson, AZ *2012-12-10 - The Irenic - San Diego, CA *2012-12-12 - Masonic Lodge - Hollywood Forever Cemetery - Los Angeles, CA *2012-12-13 - Troubadour - West Hollywood, CA *2012-12-14 - The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA *2012-12-16 - Aladdin Theater - Portland, OR *2012-12-17 - KEXP Session - Seattle, WA *2012-12-17 - The Showbox - Seattle, WA *2013-05-01 - Legends Club at Appalachian State University - Boone, NC *2013-06-04 - Strand-Capitol Performing Arts - York, PA *2013-06-08 - Port City Music Hall - Portland, ME *2013-06-11 - Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead - Munhall, PA *2013-06-12 - Majestic Theatre - Detroit, MI *2013-06-17 - Lincoln Hall - Chicago, IL *2013-06-27 - New Brookland Tavern - West Columbia, SC *2014-01-19 - Rock for Roe at the Pinhook - Durham, NC *2014-06-18 - Crescent Ballroom - Phoenix, AZ *2015-04-14 - House of Blues - Boston, MA *2015-04-16 - Bogart's - Cincinnati, OH *2015-04-17 - Majestic Theatre - Detroit, MI *2015-04-18 - Vic Theater - Chicago, IL *2015-04-19 - First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN *2015-04-21 - Headliners - Louisville, KY *2015-04-22 - Wexner Center - Columbus, OH *2015-04-23 - Mr. Small's - Millvale, PA *2015-05-08 - Shaky Knees Festival - Atlanta, GA *2015-05-26 - Gothic Theatre - Denver, CO *2015-05-29 - The Showbox - Seattle, WA *2015-05-30 - Wonder Ballroom - Portland, OR *2015-06-01 - The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA *2015-06-03 - The Mayan - Los Angeles, CA *2015-06-04 - Pappy and Harriet's - Pioneertown, CA *2015-06-08 - Kessler Theater - Dallas, TX *2015-06-09 - Austin City Limits - Moody Theater - Austin, TX *2015-10-03 - Neighborhood Theatre - Charlotte, NC *2015-10-04 - Saturn - Birmingham, AL *2015-10-05 - 40 Watt Club - Athens, GA *2015-10-07 - Culture Room - Ft. Lauderdale, FL *2015-10-08 - The Beacham Theatre - Orlando, FL *2015-10-09 - Colonial Quarter - St. Augustine, FL *2015-10-10 - The Orpheum - Tampa, FL *2015-11-12 - Brudenell Social Club - Leeds, England *2015-11-13 - Art School - Glasgow, Scotland *2015-11-15 - Gorilla - Manchester, England *2015-11-18 - Komedia - Brighton, England *2015-11-20 - Autumn Falls Festival - Le Botanique - Brussels, Belgium *2015-11-22 - Paradiso Noord, Tolhuistuin - Amsterdam, Netherlands *2015-11-23 - Heliogàbal - Barcelona, Spain‎ *2016-04-01 - Bearsville Theater - Woodstock, NY *2016-04-02 - College Street Music Hall - New Haven, CT *2016-04-03 - Columbus Theatre - Providence, RI *2016-04-04 - Port City Music Hall - Portland, ME *2016-04-06 - Asbury Hall - Buffalo, NY *2016-04-07 - Beachland Ballroom - Cleveland, OH *2016-04-08 - The Blind Pig - Ann Arbor, MI *2016-04-09 - The Vogue - Indianapolis, IN *2016-04-11 - City Winery - Chicago, IL *2016-04-12 - City Winery - Chicago, IL *2016-04-13 - City Winery - Chicago, IL *2016-04-14 - Covenant Fine Arts Center - Calvin College - Grand Rapids, MI *2016-04-16 - Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center - York, PA *2016-04-17 - City Winery - New York, NY *2016-04-18 - City Winery - New York, NY *2016-04-19 - City Winery - New York, NY *2016-05-12 - The Pinhook - Durham, NC *2016-07-22 - Subterranean - Chicago, IL *2016-09-18 - Rams Head Live - Baltimore, MD *2016-09-20 - Jefferson Theater - Charlottesville, VA *2016-09-22 - Buskirk-Chumley Theatre - Bloomington, IN *2016-09-23 - Castle Theatre - Bloomington, IL *2016-09-24 - Midpoint Music Festival - Cincinnati, OH *2016-09-27 - Pabst Theater - Milwaukee, WI *2016-10-01 - Madrid Theater - Kansas City, MO *2016-10-27 - Hi-Dive - Denver, CO *2016-10-29 - Hi-Dive - Denver, CO *2016-12-02 - The Pinhook - Durham, NC *2016-12-03 - The Pinhook - Durham, NC *2016-12-05 - Cat's Cradle - Carrboro, NC *2017-04-01 - Bond Brothers Beer Company - Cary, NC *2017-04-09 - The Factory Theatre - Sydney, Australia *2017-04-12 - The Corner Hotel - Melbourne, Australia *2017-05-23 - Cannery Ballroom - Nashville, TN *2017-05-26 - The Republic - New Orleans, LA *2017-05-27 - White Oak Music Hall - Houston, TX *2017-05-28 - Trees - Dallas, TX *2017-05-31 - The Mayan - Los Angeles, CA *2017-06-01 - The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA *2017-06-02 - The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA *2017-06-04 - Crystal Ballroom - Portland, OR *2017-06-05 - The Showbox - Seattle, WA *2017-06-06 - Tractor Tavern - Seattle, WA *2017-06-23 - Beacon Theatre - New York, NY *2017-06-24 - Beacon Theatre - New York, NY *2017-06-26 - College Street Music Hall - New Haven, CT *2017-06-27 - Blue Hills Bank Pavilion - Boston, MA *2017-06-28 - Columbus Theatre - Providence, RI *2017-06-30 - Merriweather Post Pavilion - Columbia, MD *2017-07-03 - The Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL *2017-07-06 - Wooly's - Des Moines, IA *2017-07-09 - The Castle - Bloomington, IL *2017-07-11 - The Washington Pavilion - Sioux Falls, SD *2017-09-08 - Bijou Theatre - Knoxville, TN *2017-11-07 - 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C. *2017-11-10 - White Eagle Hall - Jersey City, NJ *2017-11-12 - Brooklyn Steel - Brooklyn, NY *2017-11-17 - Riviera Theatre - Chicago, IL *2017-12-02 - Mr. Small's - Millvale, PA *2017-12-04 - Harvester Performance Center - Rocky Mount, VA *2018-04-13 - Beachland Ballroom - Cleveland, OH *2018-04-14 - Phoenix Concert Theatre - Toronto, Ontario *2018-04-21 - Upstate Concert Hall - Clifton Park, NY *2018-04-23 - Ardmore Music Hall - Ardmore, PA *2018-08-10 - Outside Lands - Golden Gate Park - San Francisco, CA *2018-09-02 - Sing Out Loud Festival - St. Augustine, FL *2018-09-06 - Canton Hall - Dallas, TX *2018-09-13 - Boulder Theater - Boulder, CO *2018-09-14 - Washington's - Fort Collins, CO *2019-04-30 - Brooklyn Steel - Brooklyn, NY *2019-05-03 - L'Astral - Montreal, QC *2019-05-05 - Phoenix - Toronto, ON *2019-05-10 - Cannery Ballroom - Nashville, TN *2019-08-08 - The Broadberry - Richmond, VA Videos of this Song *2012-03-24 - Merkin Concert Hall - New York, NY *2012-12-09 - Club Congress - Tucson, AZ *2015-04-17 - Majestic Theatre - Detroit, MI *2016-07-22 - Subterranean - Chicago, IL Category:Transcendental Youth songs Category:Video